Trial begins for third man charged in Radio Shack armed robbery
Michael Goetschel was on his knees, fearing for his life in the washroom of a Radio Shack, as a hooded man held a .38 revolver to his head demanding access to a locked cage full of cellphones.
Goetschel testified about his ordeal during the opening of Tuesday's trial for Brandon Jones, the man accused of holding the gun, who is charged with armed robbery with a firearm. He said he followed Brandon Jones' commands as another man filled a garbage can with stolen smartphones.
Familiar with weapons from his seven years in the military, Goetschel told jurors he spent "a lot of time concentrating on that gun" as he looked down the barrel.
Prosecutors say Brandon Jones, 21, of Woodridge and Carlos Brown, 22, entered the store at 7319 Lemont Road in Downers Grove about 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 11, 2013, while BL Jones stayed in a nearby vehicle.
Goetschel said he was led to the back of the store where the men took his keys. But when Brown had difficulty opening a locked case containing cellphones, Goetschel said they made him do it.
After Goetschel was forced to unlock the case and fill a garbage can with phones, prosecutors said, Brandon Jones sprayed him in the face with pepper spray.
His wounds from the spray required a hospital visit and took more than a week to heal, prosecutors said.
Linda McDougle testified she also was hit with pepper spray as she shopped for a battery as the suspects calmly exited the store carrying the garbage can full of phones.
When the rear door of the store opened, McDougle said she was expecting to see a sales clerk but was instead greeted by Brandon Jones and Brown.
"One of the men said 'May I help you?' then he raised his arm and sprayed me in the face with pepper spray," McDougle testified. "I couldn't breathe. I couldn't catch my breath."
Another woman, Renee Cantalupo, testified she was heading into a neighboring store when she heard McDougle's frantic calls for help.
She took down a detailed description of the men, their clothes and their vehicle. She followed the men at a safe distance, authorities said, until police arrived to continue the pursuit near 75th Street and I-355.
Downers Grove Det. James Minett testified he recognized the car and pulled the green Nissan Altima over on westbound I-88 near the I-355 merge. As officers approached the vehicle, with guns drawn, the men fled west on I-88.
He said the men threw the gun and several pieces of clothing from the vehicle during the pursuit. All those items were recovered.
Minett said he and other officers pursued the vehicle to Naperville's Monarch Landing senior community at 2255 Monarch Drive where a gated entrance trapped the men. Brandon Jones and Brown fled on foot into the gated community before being arrested. BL Jones stayed in the vehicle where he was taken into custody.
Brown pleaded guilty to armed robbery in August 2014 and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. BL Jones also pleaded guilty to armed robbery in March 2015 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison. Brandon Jones has been held on $1 million bail since his arrest.
The trial resumes Wednesday morning in courtroom 4014. Prosecutors said the trial may last through Thursday.